How to let go
by Selena Miller
Summary: It's been three years, Hitomie comes back, but who did she bring with her? And is everything the same?
1. Part One: Living without

Author's note: *I just wanted to say that this is my first fan fiction and so if it is not that good, I am sorry. Plus I wanted to make a few notes saying that the whole alternate time thing, where it was like the same day as when she left really didn't work for me, it reminded me too much of the Narnia chronicles so they are on the same time frame. By the way … when it has little things like this *. It means that Hitomie and Van are 'speaking' to each other. Anyway, enjoy it if you want and email me at selena_miller85@hotmail.com if you have any feedback.  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, I don't own Escaflowne, people who live in Japan and make a lot of money do. Not only do I not live in Japan, but also I don't make a lot of money either. I do own any new characters, they're mine, all mine!!!! Anyway, don't hurt me because you think I stole these characters, technically I did steal the Escaflowne characters, but since I am not publishing this story, it doesn't matter, and I didn't steal the new characters, I think, I sure hope I didn't. If I did I am really really really really really sorry, I didn't mean to. Thank you and goodnight.  
  
How to let go.  
  
1  
  
2 What if- A song that Kate Winslet sang  
  
"Here I stand alone, with this weight upon my heart.  
  
And it will not go away.  
  
In my head I keep on looking back, right back to the start.  
  
Wondering what it was that made you change.  
  
Well, I tried but I have to draw the line.  
  
And still this question keeps on spinning in my mind.  
  
What if I had never let you go?  
  
Would you be the man I used to know?  
  
If I stayed, if you tried, if we could only turn back time.  
  
But I guess, we'll never know.  
  
Many roads to take, some to joy, some to heartache.  
  
Anyone can lose the way.  
  
And if I said that we could turn it back, right back to the start.  
  
Would you take the chance and make the change?  
  
Do you think, how it would have been sometimes?  
  
Do you pray that I never left your side?  
  
What if I had never let you go?  
  
Would you be the man I used to know?  
  
If I stayed, if you tried, if we could only turn back time.  
  
But I guess, we'll never know.  
  
If only we could turn the hands of time.  
  
If I could take it back, would you still be mine?  
  
'cause I tried but I have to draw the line.  
  
And still this question keeps on spinning through my mind.  
  
What if I had never let you go?  
  
Would you be the man I used to know?  
  
What if I had never walked away?  
  
Cause I still love you, more than I can say.  
  
If you stayed, if I tried, if we could only turn back time.  
  
But I guess, we'll never know.  
  
We'll never know."  
  
2.1 Part One: Living without  
  
Hitomie turned of her disc man and tried to wipe the tears of her cheeks without Yukari and Amano noticing, that song always made her think of Van, she looked up to the star streaked sky and sighed.  
  
"What's wrong Hitomie?" Yukari asked as she leaned back against Amano. "Why the sad sigh?"  
  
"It's nothing Yukari. I'm not sad." Hitomie said, hugging herself as she saw another bright light fill the sky, "I'm just amazed at the fireworks. That's all"  
  
More of the bright lights shooted into the sky for the grand finale, Yukarie squealed in delight and Amano laughed at her happiness. Hitomie looked on and smiled softly. It was 3 years after her voyage to Gaea, you think she would be over him by now, but no matter where she was, or what she was doing, he was there. He had told her that they could talk to each other, which they did constantly, it was mostly feeling they sent, but sometimes they could talk to each other by sending words. Right now, Van wasn't speaking to her though. He still sent out all the feeling, he couldn't stop that. But he had stopped sending words out. It all started with a date that Yukari had set her up for, the boys name was Chris, he was a foreign exchange student, at first, Hitomie was apprehensive, but after a while, she loosened up and they ended up having a blast. Chris was fun to be around and he wasn't bad looking, with his short sandy blonde hair and lanky build. He even had a habit of pushing his glasses up his nose as he talked, which Hitomie thought was adorable. They were in the middle of dinner when the trouble started.  
  
*What's going on* Van had asked, Hitomie instantly felt a wave of guilt. She quickly tried to cover it up, but Van knew.  
  
*Umm, nothing, I was just….* Hitomie stumbled through her explanation, but then she felt a wave of anger from Van and then silence. He wasn't talking to her, that message was clear. The date had gone downhill from there; Chris had no idea what had made her so miserable. After he had dropped her off, she had gone to her room to cry, but when she got there she only felt anger. How dare he act like this towards her? She was 18 years old for Christ's sake; did he expect her to wait for him her entire life? It's not like she was able to get to Gaea anytime soon; she had her own life her and he didn't have the right to mess into her personal life.  
  
She sent all of this anger towards him in a burning rage; she felt surprise, remorse and then anger again, as they duked it out with words and emotion. At the end she was exhausted and fell right asleep, Van hadn't talked to her since.  
  
She thought about this as she stared out into the lit up sky. She missed him, could tell that he missed her too, but they were both too damn stubborn to own up to the fact that one of them was wrong. She didn't feel as if she was, and Van was too angry to admit that he might have been.  
  
"Hitomie!" She looked back and saw Chris running towards her, she smiled, then laughed as he tripped over some people kissing on the grass,  
  
"Whoops, sorry about that, carry on." Chris said, blushing as he backed away from the interrupted couple.  
  
"Hey, Hitomie!" He said as he plopped onto the grass next to her, "like the fireworks?"  
  
Hitomie kept the smile on, "Yes, I am, they are really neat. Your dad must have put a lot of effort into it."  
  
Chris blushed and ducked his head down, "Yeah, well, I wanted a really kick ass party, y'know?"  
  
Hitomie's grin grew even wider, "And you got it, that's for sure, look at this crowd!"  
  
Chris blushed harder, "I'm leaving for home in a week, I wanted everyone to remember me."  
  
Hitomie put her hand down on his, "I won't forget you Chris."  
  
"Thanks, I just wish we could have another date before you go."  
  
"Me too, hey! How about we just consider this our second date!"  
  
Chris brightened "Does that mean I get a kiss good-night?"  
  
Hitomie just laughed.  
  
The rest of the night was fantastic, after the fireworks were over, Chris and Hitomie talked the rest of the night, mostly about Chris' home, Canada.  
  
"It's really beautiful there, I'm from Toronto, and that's a big town, but I have been to British Columbia and there are so many trees! It's amazing!"  
  
Hitomie thought about another place where there were many trees, and wide- open fields, and a young King. She quickly shoved that thought out of her head and smiled at her companion, "So you like it there?"  
  
After the party, Chris gave Hitomie a ride home and smiled when she protested.  
  
"Hey, remember? This is a date, besides, do you want to look for Amano and Yukari in that crowd?"  
  
She relented, when he dropped her off, he even walked her to the door."  
  
"Thanks Chris, it was a great night." Hitomie yawned, and started to open the door. Chris put his hand on hers and stared intently into her eyes.  
  
"I really like you Hitomie." He said quietly as he drew her closer.  
  
"I really like you too, Chris." Hitomie choked out as he bent towards her. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Remember? My good night kiss." Chris looked into her confused eyes and smiled, "If you don't want me to kiss you, I won't."  
  
Hitomie looked up at him with startled eyes; he wanted to kiss her? The only other person she had ever kissed was Allen Shezar on Gaea; even Van hadn't kissed her before she left.  
  
"It's just that…" She stammered when he continued looking at her. He smiled again and nodded.  
  
"It's okay, Hitomie, I don't have to kiss you." He started to turn away when she grabbed his arm.  
  
"Hitomie, what is it…" He was cut off as she pressed her lips to his.  
  
(This isn't so bad) Hitomie thought as Chris took over the kissing and held her close, (I mean, I don't have a lot of practice but as far as I can tell, it's not that bad….) Her thoughts were interrupted when a haze of red came over her eyes and she remembered.  
  
"Oh Van…." Hitomie moaned, right before she passed out on her front stoop.  
  
Chris looked at her alarmed, (I didn't know I had that kind of effect on girls when we kissed, wait a second, who is Van?)  
  
Hitomie floated aimlessly through a black haze, she looked down and saw that she was wearing a light green dress, instead of the school uniform she usually wore.  
  
"What's going on?" She called out to nothing. "Where am I?"  
  
A bright light flashed before her eyes and she came to a stop. She felt her feet touch hard ground and slowly saw that the scene around her was changing.  
  
"It's, it's.." Hitomie stared, she couldn't believe it. "I'm in Atlantis!  
  
"Yes, you are Hitomie, you are in Atlantis."  
  
Hitomie spun around and found herself face to face with a Draconian Angel.  
  
"I don't understand, who are you?" Hitomie asked as she slowly backed away.  
  
"My name is Varie, you know me, Hitomie Kansaki."  
  
"Your, your Van's mother!"  
  
"I am."  
  
"Why am I here?" Hitomie felt as if she would burst into tears. Why was Van's mother coming to her?  
  
"I think you know why, Hitomie." Varie said with a sad smile on her face.  
  
"No I don't, please tell me."  
  
"You have moved one, you have new interests. You don't need my son anymore."  
  
"What!" Hitomie screamed, her face had gone white, "your wrong! I need Van, I need him!"  
  
Varie just looked at her, "I am so sorry Hitomie."  
  
The woman who was Van's mother started to walk away, Hitomie stumbled after her.  
  
"You don't understand! I need him, I need hi…" All of a sudden a shooting pain shot up Hitomie's body, making her fall to the ground. Her head was aching and the scenery of Atlantis became blurry.  
  
"No, don't please," Hitomie cried as she lay on the ground. "Don't make him leave me!"  
  
But Varie had disappeared.  
  
Hitomie woke up in her bed; Chris was kneeling beside her, his face taut with worry.  
  
"Oh, thank God your awake!" He laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "You scared me for a while."  
  
"Wha- what happened?" Hitomie managed to get out; her head was throbbing to no end.  
  
"After we, we'll after I…" Chris blushed and stammered. "You passed out when I walked you to your door."  
  
Hitomie started to cry, "Oh no, no." She sobbed.  
  
"Hitomie! What's wrong?" Chris exclaimed leaning over her.  
  
"He's gone, Van is gone!" Hitomie clutched on to Chris' shirt and clung. She felt only emptiness, when she should have felt Van.  
  
  
  
  
  
*Fenalia: a couple days before*  
  
"No!'  
  
Van stormed around his advisory room and kicked a chair over.  
  
"Your Majesty, surely you must realize that at your age it is fitting for a man to get married." Korlan, Van's chief advisor, stood straighter and looked the young king in the eye. "Your people are counting on an heir."  
  
"I'm eighteen! For gods sake! I'm not in ill health, and there hasn't been a war in years. I am not going to die tomorrow! I think my people can handle me not getting married for a few years!" Van looked out of his window and scowled. "I'm not getting married any time soon Korlan."  
  
"Your Majesty…"  
  
"Don't 'Your Majesty' me! You have my final word on the matter; I am not getting married! You can write back to all the dukes and kings and lords and tell them that King Van of Fenalia has decided against marrying any of their ugly daughters."  
  
"Van!" The 20 some odd man forgot his stature as an advisor and talked to Van as a friend, Princess Gracella is hardly ugly, neither is Lady Isabelle, or Duchess Marguerite!"  
  
Van smiled, "About time you called me by my real name Korlan, and for your information, I've looked at, and spoke to all three of the ladies you are talking about." He counted off his fingers. "Princess Gracella has the laugh of a donkey, and she likes to laugh, often. Lady Isabelle talked right into my ear at the last ball that her father had, and her voice is so nasal that I am surprised that most of the men there didn't run screaming from the room. And then there is Duchess Marguerite." He paused and looked at his friend. "Come on do you really need me to explain? Her rear end is the size of a…"  
  
"Van!"  
  
"You're too uptight Korlan, you need to loosen up." Van smiled, he had been a friend to Korlan for about two years and the fact that Korlan was so proper never failed to amuse him. "You have my saying on the matter, I am too young to get married."  
  
"Duke Chid has already begun to find a suitable wife for himself, he is much younger than you."  
  
"Well isn't that ducky for him."  
  
"Ducky, sir?"  
  
"Something I heard Hitomie say…." Van cut off and looked out his window, embarrassed.  
  
*Ah,* Korlan thought, *Now it makes sense*  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"What." Van said, angry now.  
  
"Does this, not getting married business, have anything to do with Lady Hitomie?"  
  
"No!" This was said so forcefully that Korlan backed off.  
  
"If you say so, I'll be going now." Korlan walked out with a feeling that it had everything to do with the woman Van still loved.  
  
Van stared out his window for a long time, anything to do with Hitomie, ha! Like he cared what Hitomie thought, he didn't! Besides, she obviously was fine with him getting married, she was seeing other people, so why shouldn't he? Van sighed and shook his head, "I'm kidding myself," He said quietly, "I miss her so much."  
  
"Miss who?"  
  
Van quickly turned around to see who the intruder was, it was only Merle. Merle had grown up considerably in the last few years, instead of being the gawky thirteen-year-old that she used to be, she now was sixteen and filling out nicely, she was a very beautiful she-cat, and had many callers.  
  
"Hey Merle, how are you today."  
  
"Who were you talking about Lord Van?" Merle had never grown out of calling him that, although many times he told her to just call him Van.  
  
"Umm, nothing, I was just thinking aloud."  
  
"About her?" Merle knelt by him and laid her head on his shoulder. "You miss her a lot, don't you Lord Van? I can tell, it's in your eyes."  
  
"My eyes?"  
  
"Your sadness in them, it's obvious how much you miss her.'"  
  
Van stood up and started pacing, "Yeah, well, we don't always get what we want, now, why are you here and not with the woman?"  
  
Merle slowly stood, and looked him in the eyes, her hurt clear. "Van," She said, completely forgetting the 'Lord' in her grief. "Don't think you are the only one missing her, I miss her too. So do Allen and Millerna and everyone who met her. She was a wonderful person and I know you love her, you are hurting because you feel that she betrayed you but have you ever thought about the fact that maybe she needs to move on with her life? She is on a totally different planet and it is not that easy for her to get here. Maybe she is trying to get over the hurt and have a life. You need to get over your self and realize that." She turned away to walk out, when she reached the door, she remembered why she came. "I just came to tell you that Princess Eries, Allen and Celena will be here shortly and Millerna will be coming tomorrow for the annual ball." Then she walked out.  
  
Van sat down again and put his face in his hands. "I'm a fool."  
  
Celena Shezar twirled a piece of her short blonde hair around her finger; she had kept it short despite her brother's wish that she grow it long. She looked over at him now as he sat in the carriage, sleeping with a small smile on his face. Becoming engaged had agreed with him. When Eries had finally agreed to his betrothal, he floated on a happy cloud for days. Celena was sick of it. It was disgusting the way the two of them looked at each other. Of course, Eries always kept it to a minimum, Eries was like that. Celena giggled, she thought it was quite amusing that her brother had loved each one of the Aston sisters. First it was Marlene, the eldest of the sisters, who he actually had an affair with, an affair which produced Chid, now Duke Chid. Then there was Millerna who loved Allen a lot, but instead married Drydan. Celena was still uncertain why, if she loved Allen, why didn't she marry him? Then Allen fell in love with Eries. Celena was still clueless on how that happened, she always thought that they didn't like each other. When Allen asked Eries to marry him, she at first said no, and said a lot of things about how she didn't now if he loved her, or her sisters. They got into a big fight and Allen ended up leaving the castle and going to a bar. Celena found that very interesting, since her brother never got drunk. Allen ended up persuading Eries to marry him and they had both been very giddy and happy the last few weeks. It was gross.  
  
The carriage came to a stop and Celena was shaken out of her daydream. She poked her brother awake.  
  
"What?" Allen jumped up and hit his head on the roof of the carriage. He pulled out his sword and aimed straight at a sleeping Gaddes, of course, right then Gaddes woke up and when he saw the sword pointed at his throat, jumped up also and unsheathed his sword.  
  
"What the hell are you doing Allen?" Gaddes said, his sword pointed straight at Allen's throat.  
  
"What? Gaddes?" Allen peered at his friend through sleep rimmed eyes, "Whoops, sorry man."  
  
He sheathed back his sword and smiled at his friend. "I guess I'm tired."  
  
That was all Celena could take, she started to chuckle, and when that couldn't hold, and she let out a huge laugh that scared both men into jumping. Allen and Gaddes looked at the young girl holding her sides and laughing until tears came to her eyes. They both scowled.  
  
"I don't think it is that funny, Celena." Gaddes said with a frown, "Someone could have been hurt."  
  
"Your getting old, Gaddes." Celena said after wiping the tears, "You have no sense of humor.  
  
"Old!" Gaddes sat down and crossed his arms. "I'm only 23!"  
  
"And you act like your 40!" Celena shot back, enjoying this immensely.  
  
Gaddes muttered to himself for a bit, Celena laughed again then turned towards her brother. "If you two are done, then maybe you would figure out that the carriage has stopped, we're in Fenalia."  
  
Allen and Gaddes stopped glaring at her as they realized that the carriage had indeed stopped.  
  
Van had come outside to great his guests when he saw Allen and Gaddes come out of the carriage. He started running.  
  
"Your Majesty." Allen said in a mock bow when Van came running up to them. "We are deeply honoured that you have allowed us to come and visit you."  
  
"Oh shut-up Allen!" Van grabbed him in a hug, then hugged Gaddes afterward. "So where is your bride-to-be?"  
  
"She stayed in Austuria, she is picking out a wedding dress."  
  
Celena came out of the carriage and tackled Van. "Hey stupid!"  
  
It took a while to get Celena off of Van, but when Allen finally wrenched his sister off of his friend, Van just got up, brushed the dirt off of him and proceeded to tickle Celena until she was gasping.  
  
"Serves you right." Van said with a superior smile, "That's what you get for attacking the King of Fenalia."  
  
"Oh puh-leeeeze!" Celena said after she was let go. "Give it a rest!"  
  
Van smiled, Celena was very pretty, and really spirited, the kind of girl he would consider if he was getting married, but he almost thought of her as a sister and besides, anyone with half a brain could see the way Gaddes looked at her. Except of course for Celena, she was completely blind when it came to him.  
  
"Well, my lady," Van said, in the same superior voice, "Shall we go in."  
  
Celena giggled the entire way.  
  
Later that night, after a huge dinner and a lot of talking and giggling between Celena and Merle, Van collapsed into his bed.  
  
(I wonder what Hitomie is doing right now?) He thought as he drifted off to sleep, (She's probably on another date…..)  
  
He floated in his dream, all around him was blackness, when his feet touched hard ground, the scene changed and he stood in Atlantis, for the first few minutes he stood there, amazed with all of it. Then he saw her; Hitomie sat on the ground, crying clutching at the ground, calling out his name. He started to run towards her but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned around and gasped.  
  
"Brother?"  
  
"Hello Van." Folken Fanel stared at the young man in front of him. "Nice to see you again."  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I have to tell you a few things."  
  
Van wrenched his arm away from Folken's grasp, "I don't have time, I have to go to Hitomie!'  
  
"No."  
  
"No? What do you mean no? I haven't seen her in three years and when I finally do, you won't let me go to her?" Van was amazed at how unfeeling his brother was; "She's hurting!"  
  
"You're right, she is hurting. But you need to know some things first." Folken looked into Van's brown eyes and sadly smiled. "Hitomie needs to move on."  
  
"Wha-what are you saying?"  
  
"You both are young and you have your whole lives in front of you. You need to meet new people, have new experiences. It's not healthy to cling to each other like this."  
  
Van grew angrier at every word. "You don't know what you are talking about Folken, I love her. I am never going to let go of her."  
  
Folken gestured to Hitomie and the pain that she was in. "But she is being made to let go of you."  
  
"What are you talking abou…." A shooting pain traveled up Van's body and into his head. He gasped and fell to the ground. "What' s going on?" He cried out as another pain ricocheted up his body. When the pain subsided, he was on the ground, breathing hard.  
  
"What was that all about?" Van looked up at his brother and glared.  
  
"Try to reach her Van, try to reach her with your mind."  
  
Van was confused, but he did what his brother said, he tried to send Hitomie a message but couldn't. Alarmed, he tried to find her, her feelings, but couldn't.  
  
"What did you do to me?" Van asked his brother with a cold calmness, "Where is she?"  
  
"You have to understand, she isn't yours anymore."  
  
"She will always be mine, as I am hers. You cannot change that. We will find each other, whether you like it or not."  
  
"You can try." Folken looked at his brother, standing there with his pain so obvious, He hated doing this to him, "I'm sorry brother."  
  
"You Bastard, you aren't my brother, my brother would never do this to me, he would never take away the only person I love." Van stared at Folken; "You are not my brother."  
  
Folken faded into the black.  
  
Van woke up, sweating; he looked around his dark room as if he could find Hitomie there. Then he put his face in his hands and cried.  
  
Authors note: Oh, so sad. I felt so bad writing that, I had to write the next one right away. The next few aren't going to be as long, but I hope they will be just as good. I promised myself that I would wait until I finished the entire thing but I can't! I hope you like the rest few. Thanks! Oh, by the way, please review!!! 


	2. Part Two: A bright light

Author's note: I'm baaaack! I hope you like this part, it's a bit shorter than the first one, make that a lot shorter. But I like it. Anyway, I hope you like it and review!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: blah, blah, I don't own it, because if I did I would be rolling in the dough!!!  
  
1.1 Part Two: A bright light  
  
Yukari saw Hitomie slowly walk to her next class. Hitomie was so sad lately, at first Yukari thought it had to do with Chris leaving soon, but that can't be it. She barely even talked to him, Yukari wondered at first if he tried something after the party but when she asked Hitomie just looked at her with her blank eyes and said no. "That's it." Yukari muttered to herself, "That girl is going to talk!" She ran up to Hitomie and slung an arm around her shoulder. "Hey! How 'bout we ditch math and go out for ice-cream?"  
  
Hitomie just shrugged and followed her out of the school. Yukari chatted the entire way, talking about Amano and how upset they were going to be when Chris went back home to Canada  
  
Hitomie listened with half an ear, she didn't care if Chris went back to Canada, if it wasn't for him, she would still have Van.  
  
When they got to the ice cream place, Yukari looked at Hitomie and frowned. "That's it, you are going to tell me what is going on before I beat it out of you!"  
  
She dragged Hitomie to a table in the corner and sat down. "Okay, spill."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Is it about a guy?"  
  
Hitomie lowered her eyes.  
  
"It is! Okay now who would it be?" Yukari sat there, think aloud. "It's not Chris, because you don't even talk to him anymore, you haven't dated anyone else…" Yukari's eyes grew wide. "Is, is it Amano? If it is, I am so sorry, I would never have dated him if I thought that you still liked him, I swear, I thought you were over him!" Yukari's eyes filled with tears.  
  
Hitomie reached out and clasped her best friend's hand. "It's not Amano. It's a boy I met, a long time ago. We, we have lost contact with each other."  
  
Yukari sighed, "Is that all? Why don't you just call him?"  
  
"I can't, it's long distance."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"About two worlds." Hitomie laughed at Yukari's startled face, "I'll explain, remember when Amano decided to leave for England? And I wanted him to watch me run? Remember that beam of light? Well, that's where it begins……"  
  
Hitomie then told Yukari everything, about Gaea, about the war, even about Van. When she was done, Yukari sniffed and wiped her eyes.  
  
"That's so romantic, and you have had a connection ever since?"  
  
"Yes, that is, until the night of the party. Chris and I kissed and, it was gone. I couldn't feel him anymore."  
  
"Oh, that's so sad, I'm sorry for pressuring you Hitomie."  
  
"That's okay, I needed to get it out, we better get back to school, or Miss. Henderson is going to flip!"  
  
It was in the middle of her English class, when Hitomie felt the pain; it started in the middle of her chest and traveled throughout her body. Chris saw her keel forward and called out to the teacher.  
  
Hitomie lay there, barely breathing. Miss. Henderson sent a student out to call an ambulance. Yukari and Chris sat beside her, Yukari was crying while Chris tried to feel for a pulse. All of a sudden, Hitomie's body began to glow as she sat up. Her hair became pale as snow and whirled around her as if there was a wind in the musty classroom, she looked around and the students could see her eyes.  
  
"They're black." Whispered Chris, and it was true. Hitomie's eyes were as black as coal, and she began to mutter in a strange language. Her body bowed back and Chris could here the words she said.  
  
"A maiden between worlds, will vanquish the dark.  
  
And bring light to a bleak King's heart.  
  
But beware, for not all things are true.  
  
A thief, and a girl you once knew.  
  
A hero will rise, then fall at the end.  
  
And a queen will cry, alongside her Kings bed.  
  
A boy who is where he should not be.  
  
And a girl, who sees things that she should not see.  
  
A young one, still in love, but hides it in fear.  
  
And a knight, who does too much for those he holds dear.  
  
These are the players, in this game of fate.  
  
Don't forget what you've learned, before it's too late."  
  
The entire room gasped as a bright blue light, so familiar to Hitomie, shot down and claimed her. Yukari smiled as she thought (she will be back with her love.) But Chris was not so docile, he jumped into the light, just as it was leaving and he too was sucked into Gaea.  
  
Author's note: Ooooh, what's going to happen now? Why is Chris in Gaea too? And what's up with that poem? All will be revealed in good time my friends. Ha ha! 


	3. Part Three: Reunited with love

1.1 Part Three: Reunited with Love  
  
Disclaimer: I own Escaflowne!!! What? Excuse me? Who does? Oh, I see. I have been corrected, I don't own Escaflowne. Excuse me while I go and cry.  
  
*Fenalia, that day*  
  
Merle and Celena watched Van walk across the gardens, his head drooped and his feet shuffling. It had been a week since he had lost contact with Hitomie and he looked more disheveled and disorderly everyday. He had lost a bunch of weight and his hair and grown even longer and messy. Korlan was going out of his mind with worry, he didn't know of Van and Hitomie's connection, nor that it had disappeared, he just thought that the king was depressed.  
  
"Will he ever get over it?" Celena asked Merle, her eyes bright with worry.  
  
"I don't know, he loved her very much." Merle looked out at Van's private gardens and saw him sit down on a bench, his head in his hands. "If they didn't have the connection in the first place, it probably wouldn't be so bad, but they were so close. They could read each other's thoughts, not every couple can say that."  
  
"Don't worry, it will be okay."  
  
Merle and Celena both turned at the voice, A young girl, about sixteen stood there, her long curly red hair swung loose and she wore a small gold circlet on top her head. She wore a dark green dress with a gold sash tied around her waist; she was very beautiful with her pale skin and bright blue eyes.  
  
"Sharra!" Merle ran to her friend and hugged her small frame.  
  
Celena bowed, "Your grace."  
  
Sharra laughed and hugged Celena, "Don't call me that 'Lena, we've been friends too long. Just because I'm married to a duke, doesn't mean I have to act like a duchess!" They all laughed.  
  
"So, how is married life?" Merle asked, while keeping an eye on Van, he didn't look to well, in fact…  
  
"If you remember, Merle, I didn't want to be married to a stuffy old duke, it's not that bad I guess…" Sharra trailed off as she saw Merle running towards Van, Celena quickly followed, with Sharra at her heels.  
  
"Lord Van! What's wrong?"  
  
Van was doubled over, his face contorted with pain; Merle began to cry as he fell to the ground, barely breathing. "Lord Van!"  
  
Celena ran to go get someone, she came back with Millerna and Allen, Millerna knelt beside Van and began to slowly murmur to him, as one would do a skittish horse. She felt for his pulse, when she found it softly beating she sighed. "He's okay, we need to get him inside before he gets any worse." As she said this, Van opened his eyes and slowly sat up.  
  
"What happened?" He said softly, holding his head. "I have a gigantic head ache!"  
  
Merle cried out and jumped on him. "I was so worried Lord Van!" Van's arms came around her and held her tightly, "Does this mean that you're speaking to me again Merle?"  
  
Everyone was smiling and crying, well, Merle was crying, and Millerna looked a little choked up.  
  
"Thank the Gods you're okay, Van." Allen said smiling, "I didn't want to have to explain to your guests why the ball had to be postponed because the king was dead."  
  
Nobody saw Sharra slip away.  
  
Van was smiling and nodding at everyone when he felt a jolt, he quickly looked around, but saw nothing. He stood up, with Merle still attached to him and looked out at the horizon. To his amazement he saw a familiar blue light shine down into the forest.  
  
"Hitomie!" He shouted and started running.  
  
Everybody looked at where he was running then quickly followed.  
  
Hitomie felt her feet hit solid ground and looked around. The trees, the sky, the two moons.  
  
"I'm in Gaea!" She yelled jumping up and down, "Oh my god, oh my god! Yahoo!"  
  
She danced around jumping into the air, until she fell over something hard.  
  
"What the?" The lump moved and stood, she saw the familiar face of a boy she knew.  
  
"Chris? What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Where the hell are we?" Chris looked around and up, "Hitomie, why are there two moons?"  
  
"Well, you see…" Hitomie was interrupted by a shout, she looked back and saw a familiar figure rushing towards her, she burst into tears and ran into his arms.  
  
The people around them looked at the pair holding each other, the woman crying and calling out the man's name while he just held her tightly and whispered her name. Merle and Millerna were openly crying again, and even Celena had tears in her eyes. Allen had a soft smile on his lips, and Chris just looked bewildered.  
  
When they parted, Van looked Hitomie over, she was taller now, almost as tall as he was and she wore her school uniform again. Her hair had grown a bit longer, it reached her shoulders, she was still beautiful, if not a little skinny.  
  
Hitomie also looked over Van, he was a lot taller now, and it was obvious that he grew into his stature as king. He was more muscular than skinny and his hair was even more disheveled. He looked like he hadn't slept in a few days. (Good) Hitomie thought to herself (If I was going though hell, it's only fitting that he was too)  
  
She laughed and wrapped her arms around him again. She never wanted to let him go.  
  
"Ummm…Hitomie?" She looked behind her and saw Merle sniffing around Chris; he looked scared out of his wits. Merle looked at Hitomie and grinned, "Who's this?"  
  
"That's my friend, Chris. He was sucked into the light with me.'  
  
Merle stopped sniffing him and looked up into his eyes. "So you're from the Mystic Moon too?"  
  
"Mys…Mystic Moon? What are you talking about? I'm from Canada!"  
  
"Is that another moon?"  
  
"Hitomie? What is she saying? Where are we?"  
  
Hitomie knelt by Chris and tried to soothe him, "It's okay Chris, we are on Gaea, I've been here before. These are my friends. Let's go into Van's castle and get some rest."  
  
"Castle?"  
  
"Yes, Van is a king." She looked up at Van and smiled, "Van can we get him inside? I think he is a little shocked."  
  
"Of course. No problem, Allen, can you help me? Any friend of Hitomie's is a friend of ours." Van helped Chris up then leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Of course, if you tried anything with her, I will personally rip out your heart with a spoon."  
  
Chris fainted dead away. Van looked at Hitomie with wide, innocent eyes.  
  
"What did I say?"  
  
Author's note: Ah, how cute, Van's jealous! By the way, review!!! 


	4. Part Four: A prophecy revealed

1.1 Part Four: A prophecy revealed  
  
Disclaimer: The standered one. I don't own this show, nor have I ever. Thanks a lot for reminding me!  
  
  
  
Hitomie sat at the breakfast table, with Van, Merle and Chris. Chris still looked a little confused, but Hitomie had tried to explain it to him as well as she could. He listened through the whole thing, and he believed her, he had to. But he looked like he expected someone to jump out and yell "Surprise!" any second. Merle was extremely happy that Hitomie was back, and so was everyone else. Hitomie had finally met Celena too.  
  
"Van used to talk about you a lot." She had said when they met.  
  
"Probably not half as much as he talks about you." Celena said smiling, they were going to be good friends.  
  
Hitomie smiled as she ate her food, it was good to be in Gaea again. She looked across the table at Van, who was staring at Chris with a look that could only be described as jealousy.  
  
"Van." Hitomie said, shaking him out of his daydream. "I didn't really get a chance to ask yesterday, how are Millerna and Drydan doing?"  
  
"Well, they're still married, but Drydan hasn't come back yet. It's taken a toll on Millerna, a lot of the young royals are making rude comments about how he probably has found someone else."  
  
"How awful." Murmured Hitomie.  
  
"Hey, Hitomie, do you have a dress for the ball tomorrow night?" Merle asked suddenly.  
  
"Ball?" Hitomie asked, confused.  
  
Van looked at her shyly "I am having a ball, to celebrate the anniversary of the end of war. It's been exactly 3 years."  
  
"Three years since I left…" Hitomie said shaking her head, "It's seemed like forever."  
  
"For me too." Van said quietly, looking at her. "Maybe that's why you could come back."  
  
"Because it's been three years? I don't know maybe. I don't remember a lot about coming back so…"  
  
"Well I do." Chris interrupted, his mouth full of food, "It was freaky! First you fell over in pain…"  
  
Merle and Van looked at each other, exactly what Van did.  
  
"Then your hair went white." Chris continued, "Your eyes went pitch black and you started mumbling. The freaky part were the words you said though."  
  
"Words?"  
  
"Yeah, let's see if I can remember. Something about a maiden between words, or was that worlds? Um, something that isn't true, a thief, a queen beside a bed."  
  
"I remember." Hitomie said suddenly. "Van, get the others in here."  
  
When everyone else had arrived, (minus Sharra) Hitomie explained herself.  
  
"Right before I was summoned to Gaea, I said some words to Chris, I didn't remember them until now. It was like I never said them."  
  
"What are they?" Asked Millerna, looking confused.  
  
"Okay, let me think." Hitomie concentrated for a minute, "Right, can someone get a piece of paper and something to write with?"  
  
Allen grabbed some. "Now, tell us the words."  
  
Hitomie took a breath then began.  
  
"A maiden between worlds will vanquish the dark.  
  
And bring light to a bleak Kings heart.  
  
But beware, for not all things are true.  
  
A thief, and a girl you once knew.  
  
A hero will rise, then fall at the end.  
  
And a queen will cry, alongside her Kings bed.  
  
A boy who is where he should not be.  
  
And a girl who sees things that she should not see.  
  
A young one, still in love, but hides it in fear.  
  
And a knight, who does too much, for those he holds dear.  
  
These are the players in this game of fate.  
  
Don't forget what you've learned, before it's too late."  
  
When Hitomie was done, she slumped back in her chair. "Well, there you are. Now let's try to figure it out."  
  
" 'A maiden between worlds…' that has to be you Hitomie." Allen said.  
  
"And the bleak King has to be Van!" Merle said, proud of herself. "You're going to bring light to him Hitomie!"  
  
Van and Hitomie both blushed and looked away.  
  
"Hmmm, Millerna said with a frown, I don't know any thieves, and I don't quite get the 'girl you once knew' part. But the only other queen I know is me."  
  
"And your king has to be Drydan." Celena said, "But you haven't seen him in years, why would you cry by his bed?"  
  
"Well, the boy has to be me." Chris said in between bites, "I am definitely not where I am supposed to be. I'm supposed to be in Canada by the end of the week!"  
  
"Where is Canada?" Merle asked.  
  
"It's on the Mystic Moon," Hitomie explained, "It's a country there."  
  
"It's a lot like Gaea," Chris said to the young girl, "Except for the fact that we only have one moon, and there are no demon cat people there!"  
  
"Demon! I'll show you!" Merle lunged at Chris, who fell backwards and on to the floor.  
  
"Calm down you two," Van said crossly, "We have to figure this poem out!"  
  
"Well the girl who sees things, that's Hitomie again." Celena said. "Isn't it?"  
  
"But that would put me in two spots, that makes no sense." Hitomie frowned, "Why would this prophecy say me twice?"  
  
"Maybe you're more important?" Van replied, blushing.  
  
"Let's carry on, the young one still in love. Now who would that be?" Allen said slyly, looking at Merle.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about Allen Shezar!" Merle angrily stomped over to a chair on the other side of the room and started to sulk. "The knight who does too much is obviously you!"  
  
"Well, that's everybody here, except for Celena." Millerna looked at the young girl; "We only need a few more people to have everybody in the poem."  
  
"Wait!" Van was reading over the words until he held up a hand. "We forgot something!  
  
"A hero will rise, then fall at the end?" He looked around; "Someone's going to die. But who?"  
  
"Hey everybody!" Gaddes walked in and sat in a chair, "What's everyone so gloomy about?"  
  
Author's note: Very interesting! Whose the other person who sees things she should not see? Why is there a thief in the poem, who is going to die? Why isn't Celena in the poem? Or is she? 


	5. Part Five: What he saw

Part five: What he saw.  
  
Disclaimer: Who owns Escaflowne? Not me, that's for sure!  
  
  
  
Chris looked around the room he was sleeping in. He supposed it was nice with its giant bed, and there was a place where he could write but it wasn't home. This place freaked him out. If cat demons weren't enough, he saw a person with a fish head after breakfast! He had to get out of here before he went insane. He decided quickly that he would find Hitomie and ask her if she wanted to go for a walk. Chris walked down the hallways of the palace, marveling at the intricate designs on the walls. He came to a doorway and pushed it open, hoping to find Hitomie. Instead he found a room with portraits decorating the walls, he walked along, staring at the people in their finery, and he found himself looking at the captions.  
  
King Galeno and Queen Calena. First king and queen of Fenalia.  
  
The portraits went on like that for awhile, some guy in clothes that didn't look as if they were too comfortable, and some snooty looking lady in a fancy dress. Boring. He saw a picture of a family; it looked like that Van guy was in it when he was little. Chris snickered to himself, what a goofy looking kid. It was a picture with him, his mother and father and a man beside them that Chris supposed was Van's brother. The woman had long dark hair that and had a sad sort of smile on her face. Van's father looked as if he expected something to jump out at them. Van stared out into nothing, a serious little kid, even then. Only the young man looked relaxed, according to the caption his name was Folken. He looked kind of cool. Chris decided and walked on; he saw a picture of Van by himself standing in full king regalia. He looked strangely regal. "What's up with that guy?" Chris said to himself, "He looks like he's never smiled in his entire life!" He scowled, "Although he was smiling a whole lot when he found Hitomie." He pushed that thought out of his mind and walked on to the next picture, and stopped, and stared.  
  
It was a portrait of Hitomie, in her school uniform, staring into the distance. She had shorter hair, and on her neck was a pendant that was glowing. She looked beautiful with the mountains in the distance, strangely there seemed to be a blue glow around her. "Wow…" Chris said.  
  
"Amazing isn't it?"  
  
Chris looked around quickly to see who invaded his sanctuary. He saw the little cat demon standing beside him looking up at Hitomie's picture.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Chris asked, the little cat demon dragged her eyes off the picture and looked at him smugly.  
  
"Did you know Lord Van used to stand here and stare at this picture for hours at a time?" Her smug look turned into one of disgust. "You have no idea how much he loves her. You never will."  
  
"Listen little cat demon."  
  
"My name is Merle! Lady Merle to you!" Merle flinched, she hated the whole 'Lady' title, but if it made the foreigner treat her better…. "And stop calling me cat demon!"  
  
"Well then, Lady Merle," Chris said sarcastically, "You should know that I don't want to be here. I was ripped out of earth and put on a planet that I had now idea existed, not only that, I figure out that my friend, who was really close to becoming my girlfriend, is in love with this tall, skinny guy who claims to be a king! I'm being harassed by cat demons and earlier on a fish in a dress was cleaning my bedroom! So excuse me if I'm a little testy! I just want to go home!" Chris finished off his tirade by crossing his arms and staring back at the portrait.  
  
"Read the caption, dimwit." Merle said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Read the caption below the picture."  
  
Chris leaned over, took his glasses off, he only needed them for far away things, and read the caption.  
  
1.1.1 "Hitomie Kanzaki: Hero of Gaea, Goddess of the Mystic Moon."  
  
1.1.2  
  
1.1.3 "What the hell?" Chris was flabbergasted. "Hero of Gaea? Goddess?"  
  
1.1.4 "That's right genius." Merle said, enjoying his reaction immensely. "Why do you think she knows all of us? Do you think that she just came here, fell in love and left? There was a lot more that. Hell, she practically stopped a war!" Merle looked back at the picture, "Those words she said, they were part of something that both you and her are in, you are supposed to be here. Deal with it." She walked out of the portrait room, saying over her shoulder. "By the way, Hitomie was looking for you, she's in the common room."  
  
1.1.5 Chris quickly ran towards the common room, that's where they were last night when Hitomie told him where they were. It was a small room, very private. Chris came up to the door and sighed, (hopefully Hitomie knows how to get out of here), he thought to himself. He opened the door a crack. (Aw, damn)  
  
1.1.6 Hitomie and Van stood there, gazing into each other's eyes. Hitomie was wearing a light green dress, with a darker trim; Van was wearing what he usually wore, a red shirt and dark pants. Chris strained to hear what they were saying.  
  
1.1.7 "Hitomie.."  
  
1.1.8 "Yes, Van?"  
  
1.1.9 "I'm sorry."  
  
1.1.10 "For what?"  
  
1.1.11 "For, for, for getting angry with you when you went out with that guy."  
  
1.1.12 "You mean Chris?"  
  
1.1.13 "Yeah, I didn't have any right to get mad, I don't own you are anything, I was just…"  
  
1.1.14 "Jealous?"  
  
1.1.15 Van looked flustered for a minute before he started to walk away. "This is crazy, I've never been jealous before in my life. I'm a King for Gods sakes! I don't get jealous, and besides, I haven't seen you in three years, I don't even know who your best friend is! What your parent's names are! What your favourite colour is! You've been in my mind, my guy and my heart the minute I first saw you and I can't seem to get you out! We don't live on the same planet and I still can't get you out! And now your back and I'm so happy but at the same time I know that you have to go back! Because as much as I want you to, you don't belong here."  
  
1.1.16 Hitomie stood there for a few minutes and watched the young King take a few breaths. "Yukari, Domo and Cathleen and Green."  
  
1.1.17 Van turned around and stared at her. "What?"  
  
1.1.18 "My best friend is Yukari, we've been friends since the second grade, My parents names are Domo and Cathleen, my mom is American. And my favourite colour is Green. Hence the dress." She walked up to Van slowly, still talking. "We don't live on the same planet but we shared a connection that was more than anyone could comprehend. The minute I saw you I remember thinking that you were someone I could trust. I learned to love you on Gaea and I will love you till the day I day." Her eyes filled with tears and she choked back a sob. "The minute that you left my mind, my heart, my gut. I felt as if someone had killed me. I stayed in bed for days, not eating or speaking. When I came back to Gaea, and I saw you, all I remember is thinking that I belong here, that this is my home. I'm not going back Van, you can't make me." She was close to his face now, and he could see the tears that were running down her face. "You can't make me Van, I belong here, with you."  
  
"Oh, Hitomie." Van choked out before he enveloped her in his arms, "I'm so sorry."  
  
Chris closed the door and walked down the hall, he wasn't supposed to see that. (I'll find Hitomie later, I'm was going for a walk. I need to think of a few things.)  
  
He walked out of the palace, thinking to himself.  
  
Author's note: Whew, that took me awhile, I needed to be in the right mood, I'm listening to music from Lord of the Rings and it is making me cry so I decided to put that scene in. *sniff, sniff* they so belong together! 


	6. Part Six: The walk

1.1 Part Six: The Walk  
  
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Escaflowne, I wish I owned Escaflowne…fine don't listen to me!  
  
  
  
Hitomie looked into Van's eyes. "Van," She started, then she shook her head and stepped out of his embrace, "Van, we need to talk."  
  
"We have been talking." Van said with a smile as he reached for her again. Hitomie gave him a stern look.  
  
"No we haven't, well, not about what we need to talk about, Van it's about Chris."  
  
Van's soft smile turned into a scowl as he sat down, "What about him?"  
  
"Now don't get testy, we need to talk about why he is here."  
  
"Who cares."  
  
"Van!" Hitomie walked over to him and kneeled, "I know you don't like him, but he is one of my friends and he is really scared right now. Remember how I was when I first came?"  
  
"You at least didn't faint."  
  
"Maybe that's because nobody said they were going to rip out my heart with a spoon."  
  
He at least had the decency to look remorseful. "You heard that, huh?"  
  
"Yes I did, you have to be nicer to him."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I've already told you the reason."  
  
"Well, I don't like him, I have this feeling that he's going to take you away from me." He grabbed her and placed her on his lap. "Your mine. Not his."  
  
Hitomie laughed and rested her head against his, "You're beginning to act like a sulky child."  
  
"I am a sulky child where you're concerned."  
  
"Yes, well, I need to find Chris. Van, let go!"  
  
"You know, I would, but…"  
  
"Ahem, am I interrupting anything?"  
  
Van and Hitomie looked up to see Korlan standing in the doorway, an amused expression on his face.  
  
"No, but you would be if I had anything to do with it." Hitomie heard Van say as placed her back onto the floor.  
  
"Van!" Hitomie's face was bright red and she saw Korlan's grin widen. "Korlan, sir, I'm sorry I just…"  
  
"My fault entirely, Lady Hitomie, I should realise when the door is closed I should knock."  
  
"Why are you here Korlan?" Van said, obviously displeased with the intrusion.  
  
"Well, your majesty," Korlan said with a smirk, "I just wanted to tell you and Lady Hitomie that nobody can find Lady Hitomie's friend, Chris is it?"  
  
"Chris?" Hitomie went pale. "You don't know where he is? Are you completely insane!" She ran out of the room. Van followed at a slower pace but not before muttering, "The stupid idiot probably got lost in the forest."  
  
"What was that your majesty?"  
  
"Shut-up Korlan."  
  
Chris walked around the forest, his thoughts in turmoil, if Hitomie wanted to stay with Van, how the hell was he going to get home? Wait a second, why does she want to stay with Van in the first place? He's moody and cranky and from what he has heard so far, kind of violent. The guy actually threatened to kill him! He walked through the forest, feeling rather depressed. When he finally looked at his surroundings, he realised that he had no idea where he was.  
  
"Oh this is just great, not only am I stuck on this stupid planet, I'm lost in a creepy forest! My day has been great so far this is just wonderful!"  
  
"You're going to lose more than that if you don't be quiet," said a soft voice at his ear.  
  
Chris jumped and turned quickly to face the intruder. "What do you want?"  
  
What he saw surprised him more than he wanted to admit. A young stood there, not much younger than him. She had long curly red hair that was tied up into a pony tail, her flashing blue eyes mocked him as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.  
  
"What," she said softly, "You act like you've never seen a woman before."  
  
"I don't think I have, if all of them look like you." He managed to get out, before his face flamed with embarrassment. Thankfully he wasn't the only one embarrassed; he saw her face blush prettily before she grabbed his hand.  
  
"Come with me, there are robbers afoot."  
  
(Afoot?) Chris thought as he was dragged away, (Who uses the word, 'afoot'?)  
  
Sharra dragged the poor man through the forest, dodging branches and jumping over stumps, she heard the man curse as he stumbled. She laughed and finally stopped, leaning against a tree to regain her breath. The stranger stood there for a minute looking at her, breathing heavily.  
  
"So, who are you exactly." He said after looking her up and down.  
  
She felt a blush stain her cheeks and, pretending to act subservient, as she was told to do, she peered at him underneath her lashes. He was awfully good-looking, with his short blonde hair and spectacles. He was wearing the strangest clothes though. Some sort of cloth, and a tie, now who wore a tie these days?  
  
"Don't try the whole, 'who me' act now, not when you've been dragging me around these forest. You are not the little weak girl you want people to think you are." He stood there, his arms crossed, glaring at her.  
  
"Now who are you?"  
  
"Don't you think I should be asking that question?" Sharra dropped her act and gave him back, glare for glare. "Who are you?"  
  
The young man gave her a smirk that sent her heart racing, "That's easy, my names Chris Anderson, I'm eighteen years old and supposedly I'm from a place called the 'Mystic Moon' but of course, I call it Earth."  
  
He did a little mocking bow and grinned at her, "And you are?"  
  
Sharra was flustered but she mustn't let this, Chris character know that. "Well, my name is Sharra, I'm sixteen, I'm originally from Tudar, but I am here for the King's birthday." She gave a curtsy that the Queen of England couldn't have faulted, "So pleased to make your aquantince Lord of the Mystic Moon."  
  
"Lord?" Chris laughed; it was a wonderful sound, so full of life, or at least Sharra thought so. "I like the sound of that." He sobered, "but please don't call me that, Hitomie would have a field day."  
  
"Hitomie?" Sharra gasped, "You mean, the goddess of the Mystic Moon? The Hero of Gaea?" Sharra ran up to him and grabbed his hands; "You are a friend of Lady Hitomie?"  
  
"I guess so, but she's just Hitomie to me, you know she's not really a.." He was cut off as Sharra screamed. "Duck!" An arrow whizzed by his head. They both hit the ground, Chris covering Sharra with his body.  
  
"Get up, yeh stupid git'" Called a voice that neither of them had ever heard before. Chris and Sharra were yanked up and placed back on the ground. Sharra stared at the people before her, before whispering to Chris. "Follow my lead, these are thieves."  
  
Author's note: Wahoo! I'm in such a great mood for writing right now, just wait until you see what happens after this! 


	7. Part Seven: Orian's band

Part Seven: Orian's Band  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, too bad for me, but hey, them's the breaks!  
  
  
  
Chris looked at the thieves in front of them with growing dread. The leader didn't look very old, maybe seventeen or so, he was tall, with light brown hair and almost a burgundy shade of eyes, Chris felt something familiar about him but he couldn't place it. He looked to be part, part something, Chris couldn't tell what. The rest of the thieves were human, or at least it looked like it. You never could tell with these people, hell, Sharra could be half chicken, he didn't even know her, and she could be one of the thieves, why should he trust her? Okay, calm down Chris, you don't want another panic attack. Just calm down.  
  
"What do you want from us?" Sharra said coldly.  
  
"Well, that's easy, luv, just your money, your jewels." The leader grinned, showing some perfectly straight teeth, "Oh yeah, and your knickers."  
  
"Now, wait just a minute!" Chris said, "That was a little uncalled for," (Oh my god, I'm beginning to sound like my dad!)  
  
"It's okay, Chris, I'll handle it." (For goodness sake, he sounds like my father!)  
  
"Yeah, sit down specs, let the 'woman' handle this" (what a poofter this bloke is, how the hell did this beauty come to be with him?)  
  
Chris had had enough, "Listen, 'mate'" he said angrily, "I'm really close to kicking your ass right now so I'd watch it."  
  
The thieves laughed, this boy, beat their leader, he has got to be kidding us! Even the leader laughed,  
  
"If yeh say so, precious, give it your best shot."  
  
But nobody saw the fist that seemed to jump out of Chris' arm, and everybody saw the thief's head snap back as if it had been hit with a ball of cement. The man fell back, then sprang back up, one hand rubbing his jaw.  
  
"That, was very sneaky mate," The man said, "Now try this." His arm came back and he punched Chris square in the stomach. Chris doubled over, then straightened.  
  
A fight ensued, Chris using mainly things that he learned in Karate, with a helping dose of rage. The other fighter used things that he learned on the street. Chris was obviously winning and when he landed a blow to the other man's face, the thieves' thought that he wouldn't get up again. Chris turned away and put a hand on to steer Sharra away from the thieves.  
  
"Let's get out of here, Sharra." He said before he fell foreword with a grunt of pain. Sharra cried out and faced the group behind her. The leader was standing, blood flowing from a cut on his lip and a broken nose. But he was smiling.  
  
Sharra looked at her newfound friend; Chris was lying there, with a blade sticking out of his shoulder.  
  
"Lesson one mate, never turn your back on an opponent unless you're sure he's dead."  
  
Sharra flew at the thief, using all of her strength to try to beat the crap out of him; he pushed him off of her, and grinned.  
  
"Calm down, luv, he's not dead, far from it. Nate, Vern, pick up the bloke and carry him back to camp." He fixed his gaze on Sharra; "I'll take the missus."  
  
As he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, Sharra fought with all her might. He only tightened her grip on her bottom, her nicely rounded bottom, he thought to himself and whispered.  
  
"Unless you want one of the other men, one of the less 'gentle' men to carry you, I suggest you calm down luv."  
  
Sharra was still after that.  
  
Author's note: ooooh, see how I did that. I've decided that the story will be based around four relationships, the main ones at least. Hitomie and Van's, Celena and Gaddes, (of course) And two others, but who? 


	8. Part Eight: You're a what?

1.1 Part Eight: You're a what?  
  
Disclaimer: Me no own Escaflowne! Get it through your head!  
  
  
  
Sharra started to struggle again as soon as he put her down on the hard ground of the thieves "camp." "Why are you doing this, you brute? We didn't do anything to you and you killed my friend!"  
  
The leader grinned, that annoying, extremely sexy grin, (no! Don't think of him as sexy, he's not, he's evil and rude and he killed Chris!) She glared at him when he simply shrugged and gestured to his men.  
  
"Don't worry luv," he said in his strange accent. It was almost like the soft accent's of Fanelia, but it seemed rougher, sexier. (Did I not just say that I wasn't going to think of him as sexy?)  
  
"Your husband there will be fine, Nate will fix him up just great."  
  
"He's not my hus…" Sharra realised her mistake, if this crude man thought that Chris was her husband, he would leave her alone! Damn, she blew it big this time.  
  
"Not your husband, eh?" The thief's grin grew wider as he studied her with an intensity that made her blush. "You just his doxy then?"  
  
"Doxy?! Well, I never, how dare you!" Sharra drew herself up and gave herself the regal air that she never wanted to have. "I'll have you know, sir, that I am most definitely not a, a doxy!"  
  
"Then what are you, pet?"  
  
"I'm a…. peasant!" There, she decided, a peasant is safe to say.  
  
"A peasant? What's your name?"  
  
"Sharra."  
  
"Well, Miss. Sharra," The thief smiled, causing another flutter in her chest. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you, the name is Orian, Orian the bastard."  
  
Sharra gasped, causing Orian to grin even harder. This priss, realised who her captors were eh? Very interesting, he had heard that they were well known, but not in the better circles. Strange. He didn't believe for a second that she was peasant. She was too refined, to posh, probably a cousin or something of some big person, not really royalty or anything, but high enough on the food chain to act better than everyone lower then them.  
  
"O – Orian the bastard? You are him?" Sharra stammered and started to back away. "Wh- What do you want with me?"  
  
Orian laughed, "I thought we told you that already luv."  
  
Sharra became angry, "You can have all the money that I have, which isn't a lot, and as you can see, I don't have any jewels, but if you think that you can even try to take my, my undergarments, you have another thing coming!" She turned to walk away but then felt a hand on her shoulders.  
  
"Didn't ye hear me the first time, luv?" A deceptively soft voice whispered in her ear, "She felt herself tremble. He felt it too and continued with a smile. "Your friend turned his back on me too, and look where that got him." He whirled her around and loomed dangerously closer, "You wouldn't want to upset me even more would you pet?" He touched his cheek, where a bruise was starting to form; "I am injured after all."  
  
Sharra scoffed, "Not as badly as Chris!"  
  
"It was a fair fight."  
  
"You stabbed him in the back!"  
  
"It was his fault! He was the one who turned away, you don't do that in a fight, you stupid bit!"  
  
"Don't call me stupid!" Sharra was screaming now, and most of the thieves were watching with interest.  
  
"Yeh listen to me, Miss. Priss, this is my camp, my men and yeh don't rule the roost here!" Orian was loosing his temper too, something he rarely did. You could tell when he did; he reverted back to an even rougher accent. "Yeh are going to do what I say, and I am going to call yeh whatever I damn well want to!"  
  
She slapped him then, a loud sound filled the air, everything was silent, even the thieves had stopped talking in shock as they saw their leaders head fly to one side. He stood there for a minute, a red mark already appearing on his cheek. Sharra put one hand over her mouth in surprise, she had not meant to do that at all. Orian looked back at her, his eyes cold and hard. He grabbed on of her arms and half dragged her to a small tent.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sharra asked as she was shoved into the tiny living area.  
  
"You are going to stay here, until you can control your tongue and your hand," Orian was calm but Sharra could tell that he was holding it back. "If I see you out of here for any reason at all, I will personally beat you myself!"  
  
Sharra looked shocked as he assigned a man he called 'Dave' to watch over her.  
  
"You can't do this to me!"  
  
"Just watch me," he growled, as he made his way through a few of his laughing men.  
  
"Get back to work yeh bloomin' fools!"  
  
Chris woke up with a blinding headache and a pain in his shoulder. "What the hell happened to me?" He said as he tried to get up.  
  
"Sit down specs, I've a few questions that I want answers to."  
  
Chris sat down again, and looked into the thief leader's face. "What?"  
  
"Well, first of all, no hard feelings or anything about the shoulder. Yeh turned you back, it was a stupid move."  
  
Chris rolled his shoulder; he winced at the pain, "So that was your dagger huh?"  
  
The thief grinned, "Yeah,"  
  
"I suppose you missed, you only hit my shoulder."  
  
"Didn't miss, bloke, if I wanted to kill you, You'd be dead." There was a hidden meaning in that phrase, one that Chris took as a challenge, being the smart man that he was, he backed down.  
  
"I understand, it's no problem, never been stabbed before, interesting experience."  
  
The grin widened, "I know the feeling, interesting, but not at all pleasant. I suppose I should tell you my name now, eh?"  
  
"I'll tell you mine first, its Chris Anderson."  
  
"Strange name, but hey, who am I to judge. The name is Orian the Bastard."  
  
Chris grinned, "Got a last name to that? Or am I just supposed to call you Mister Bastard?"  
  
Orian laughed, "No thanks all the same, my pa, I don't know him, he just came around, knocked up my ma, then left. Don't know him."  
  
You don't even know his name?"  
  
"Oh, I know his name, I know his name very well."  
  
"Then what is.."  
  
Orian cut him off, "This is a little bit personal for our first civil conversation, don't you think mate?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, I'm curious, can't help it."  
  
"No problem," Orian looked away, but Chris could've sworn he heard him say, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway." But it wasn't any of his business, so he kept quiet.  
  
"So are you part wolf or something?"  
  
"My ma was, makes me about, one quarter wolf. I don't have any of the distinguishing features, like a tail or anything, but I got great eyes and ears. And I can smell things like nobody's business."  
  
"Neat."  
  
"I suppose, by the way mate," Orian ducked his head, then peered at Chris, almost sheepishly. "Do you have anything going on with, the girl?"  
  
Chris looked bewildered, "Sharra?" At the other man's nod, he laughed, "I just met her, why would I have anything going on with her?" His eyes narrowed the man in front of him, was he actually blushing? "Why?"  
  
"No reason, it's just that…." Orian grinned as an idea struck him, "I said some things that she took into offence, I also have her trapped inside of a tent right now. She was being a nuisance."  
  
"Well, I guess, I don't have any problem with that, like I said, I barely know her."  
  
"So she is your doxy."  
  
"What?" Both men turned around to see the object of their conversation storming towards them.  
  
"How the hell did you get out!" Was Orian's question as she stomped up to them, "I thought I told you to stay in the tent?!"  
  
"Who cares," Was her answer as she crouched down to Chris, "Chris did you tell him that I was your doxy? Because if you did that pain in your shoulder is going to be the least of your worries."  
  
Chris could see Orian seething; Sharra was in a lot of trouble this time.  
  
"Did yeh here me, pet?" Orian said with a dangerous calm.  
  
"Yes I heard you, but I refuse to stay in that smelly old tent!" Sharra said as she stood up to meet him face to face, "It's gross and stupid and I refuse it! And stop calling me pet!" She pushed to get past him but he grabbed her hand.  
  
"You are not going to refuse me again!" He growled.  
  
"What are you doing?" Was her frightened and angry response.  
  
"You listen to me, yeh stupid.."  
  
"I told you not to call me stupid!" Sharra raised her hand to slap him again but he caught it and brought her close to him.  
  
"What.." Her question was cut off as he pressed his mouth against hers.  
  
Chris watched, bemused as a startled Sharra at first resisted, then melded into the kiss as if he was air and she was gasping for breath.  
  
Sharra moaned softly and raised her hands again, this time to put them around Orian's neck, his answer to that was to angle his head and take the kiss deeper. She moaned again, or was that him?  
  
"Ummm, guys? Maybe you should stop that, we have a problem."  
  
They dragged their mouths away, gasping for breath. Orian looked around. "Oh, shit."  
  
There were dozen or so soldiers surrounding them, each with their sword drawn.  
  
Sharra gasped as the one of the men drew closer and bowed.  
  
"Your Grace, would you like us to run these men through?" She shook her head and he straightened.  
  
"Wait a second," Chris said, "Your Grace?"  
  
Sharra blushed as one of the soldiers began to speak.  
  
"Duchess of Estat," He said in barking tones, "We have been called to find and return you to Fenalia."  
  
"You're a duchess?" Chris asked, sitting straight up.  
  
"Chris, you have to understand.."  
  
"Your husband is very worried about you, Your Grace." One of the soldiers said to her in kinder tones.  
  
Sharra felt something move against her. Orian had backed up, his face white.  
  
"Your married!?!?" Was all he was able to get out before one of the soldiers hit him over the head with the back of his sword and he blacked out.  
  
The same was done to Chris; the rest of the thieves were put under arrest, most of them docile. Nate glared daggers at her as she was escorted back to Fenalia with the soldiers.  
  
"Don't worry, Your Grace." One of the soldiers said confidently, "Those men will be put in jail immediately."  
  
Sharra didn't answer him, she was too miserable.  
  
Author's note: I had so much fun writing that! Those two are going to be my favourite couple, except Van and Hitomie of course. 


	9. Part Nine: Jail Cell

1.1 Part Nine: Jail cell  
  
Chris watched morosely as Orian kicked over a chair in the cell. He saw Nate put the chair back up, then almost laughed when Orian kicked it over in fury again. Ever since they were arrested, and had woken up with a headache the size of Montana, Orian had been raging. Chris had a feeling it had more to do with Sharra being married than the fact that they were in jail. Married! Who would have thought that Sharra, who looked all of fifteen, was married! And to a duke! It was too unreal, but, then again, Gaea seemed almost medieval, he wouldn't expect them to have the same values as people in 21st century Earth. Still, it was strange.  
  
Married! Orian thought as he kicked over the chair that Nate had put up again. To a duke! And he kissed her! What the hell was he thinking? Kissing a girl who he barely knew, he was obviously bloomin' crazy. Wait a sec, he couldn't just blame himself, if he remembered correctly, she kissed him back. A lot. He wasn't the bad guy here, he had no idea she was married, and he doubted that she forgot. So why did she kiss him back? Orian sat down and pondered this for a minute before he heard someone saying his name.  
  
"What is it Nate?" He asked, still thinking of Sharra.  
  
"You finished ranting?'  
  
"Yeah, I think I got it out of me."  
  
"Good, because we have company."  
  
Orian looked up to see a young man, with jet-black hair and dark eyes come towards them. His eyes were cold and calm as he looked over the prisoners.  
  
"And what are these men in here for, Gerdus?" He asked the guard.  
  
"They are thieves, Your Majesty," Gerdus said with a thin smile, he looked at Orian with hatred. "They are also here for kidnapping Duchess Sharra, and that one," he snapped out as he jerked his hand at Orian. "That one was molesting her as we came into the camp."  
  
Orian jumped up and glared at the guard, "You stupid, ugly git! I didn't molest her yeh horses ass!"  
  
"Sit down." The man, the stranger, looked at Orian with his cold eyes, not recognising him. But then again, why should he? Orian sat down, and glared at the man who had given him the order.  
  
"Well, of course, Your Majesty, wouldn't want to do anything to upset you now, would I?"  
  
A young lady with shoulder length, dark blonde hair, came running down the stairs. When she saw Chris leaning on the bars of the cell, glaring at Van, she cried out and ran toward him.  
  
"Chris! Thank God your okay! Why did you go off by yourself? Why are these people saying that you're a thief? And what ever possessed you to kidnap the duchess of Estat?" She turned around and started on Gerdus, "Let this man out right now! He is a personal friend of mine, and do you have any idea who I am? I swear if you do not let him out right now I will personally see to it that you experience a long and very painful death, do you understand me?"  
  
By this time, Gerdus was very red and he was taking sputtering breaths. Chris had a large grin on his face and Van was glaring at him. Orian said only one thing; "You're all loony."  
  
Gerdus opened the cell door, and a very sheepish looking Chris walked out, Hitomie gave him a big hug.  
  
"I'm so happy you're safe! Now, go up to your room and have a bath, you smell."  
  
Chris grinned and turned towards Orian. "Hey, thanks a lot for the hospitality, man."  
  
Orian smirked, "Take care of the shoulder mate."  
  
Hitomie went pale, "Shoulder? What happened to your shoulder?" She rounded on Orian, "What did you do to him?"  
  
"He didn't do anything, Hitomie, I hurt myself."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I'll explain on the way. Talk to you later Orian."  
  
"I doubt that." Orian muttered as he looked into the face of an angry Van.  
  
"So, Orian, is it?" Van asked as he looked at the man in front of him.  
  
Orian smirked, "Yeah, that's me."  
  
"Orian the thief?"  
  
"Orian the thief, Orian the Bastard, I have many names, mate."  
  
"What do you prefer to go by?"  
  
This was his chance. He could finally say it! "Why, that's easy, your majesty. If I had a choice, I would go by my true name, illegitimate son of the late King of Fenalia!"  
  
He finished this off with a sweeping bow, mocking Van. Nate sighed and sat down in the chair. The rest of the thieves gasped and started to mutter to themselves. Chris and Hitomie had heard this and came running down the stairs again; Van's face was pale. Orian just stood there, glaring at his half-brother.  
  
"You're, you're lying!" Van managed to get out.  
  
"No, I'm not. Your father was not the great man he was made out to be. Two months before your mother, became pregnant with you, he impregnated a peasant woman." Orian said this all with a great calm. Nate recognised this as the same calm he had after he found out that his mother had been murdered. He had calmly, buried his mother, and then set out to kill the man who did it to her.  
  
"The woman was my mother, Lolana Reed. She had me in secret, when I was born she went to your father and begged for him to take me in, to treat me as his son." Orian's eyes went colder, "But your mother was pregnant with you at the time, your father didn't want to ruin his son's birth with a bastard child. He refused her, told her that he could never be sure if it was really his son. He called her a "slut." He spat out the word as if it was a disgusting food. "He cast her out, and me." He walked up to the bars and put his face close to Van's. "Unfortunately for him, I grew up to look very much like his wonderful son. Don't you think, Van? We have daddy's eyes don't we?"  
  
Van grabbed Orian's shirt and smashed his head into the bars. "You are not my brother!"  
  
"We have the same scar, Van!" Orian yelled, "Your father was a conceited man, no son of his was going to live without the royal mark!" He lifted up his shirt. Van gasped as he saw the mark, the royal symbol of the Fenalian family. It happened to all the men in the family, they were branded, like cattle, with the Fenalian dragon.  
  
"No, I don't have a brother, it's not true." Van's face was white as a ghost and he stumbled backwards. Hitomie came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's okay Van, it will be okay." He looked at her blindly.  
  
"My, my father?" He whispered, "Hitomie, what is going on?"  
  
"Shhh," She soothed, "It will be okay," She glared at Orian; he glared back, his eyes filled with hurt and hate.  
  
"Gerdus!" Hitomie snapped out. "Unlock the door, take out the man who claims to be royalty and put him into a guest room. Lock him in there." She looked at the prisoners. "Take the one sitting down too, he knows more than what he is telling."  
  
Gerdus did as he was told, Orian didn't struggle. As he was carted out he saw Sharra standing outside the door of the jail, her mouth wide open. He gave her a brilliant smile.  
  
"Hello luv, I can just imagine what your thinking right now. Didn't expect for me to be higher on the food chain, did yeh now?"  
  
Sharra couldn't say anything.  
  
Author's note: That chapter took me a bit of trouble, I didn't know how I was going to bring in the whole brother thing. I hope I did okay. 


	10. Part Ten: Inner Thoughts

1.1 Part Ten: Inner thoughts  
  
Author's note: When Sharra, or anybody else for that matter, is talking to themselves, I use 'this' okay?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, I only own some characters and the plot.  
  
Sharra stormed into the common room and sat down on a chair, how dare he kiss her! He didn't even tell her that he was Van's brother!  
  
'Is that so important?'  
  
'Of course it is!'  
  
'Why, does him being the bastard son of a king, make it okay for you to kiss him?'  
  
'I didn't kiss him, he kissed me!'  
  
'You kissed him back.'  
  
'He startled me!'  
  
'Yeah, sure, that's it.'  
  
Sharra stood up and started to pace.  
  
'It's not like he was that good of a kisser anyway.'  
  
'That's not what you were thinking when he had his tongue down your throat.'  
  
'How did you know what I was thinking?'  
  
'Duh, inner voice here, I know everything that you are thinking.'  
  
'Well, that's stupid.'  
  
'True, but hey, at least nobody else knows what your thinking, especially that thief that you are desperately trying not to think of.'  
  
'Who cares about him?'  
  
'You, obviously.'  
  
She grabbed a pillow and threw it at the wall.  
  
'Temper, temper.'  
  
'Why is it that my inner voice is so annoying?'  
  
'I'm the honest you, the you that never comes out because your such a priss. Except of course, when your kissing good looking men that you barely know.'  
  
'Will you stop bringing that up!'  
  
'Technically, you're the one who is bringing it up, remember?'  
  
'Shut-up.'  
  
'Isn't that just telling yourself to shut-up?'  
  
She felt like screaming.  
  
"Your Grace?" A guard stood in the doorway, looking at her quizzically. She straightened her dress, then gave him her most charming smile.  
  
"Yes, what is it?"  
  
"Your husband requests your presence. He is in his room."  
  
"Thank-you, I'll come right away." Well, here goes, she thought.  
  
'Just don't let him know what you are really thinking.' Her inner voice warned.  
  
'Didn't I tell you to shut-up?'  
  
  
  
Van paced around his room, Hitomie had made tea and was now sitting in a chair. She looked so beautiful, watching him, not saying anything. If only they had the same connection that they used to have, they would be so much closer, he could tell her things without actually saying them out loud.  
  
'Do you really want her to know what you're thinking all the time though?'  
  
'Of course I do, I care for her so much!'  
  
'I know that, but now that she is here, do you really want her to know everything you are thinking?'  
  
'What do you mean?'  
  
'Let's put it this way, say Hitomie is looking particularly lovely, as she does now, do you really want her to *ahem* know exactly what you are thinking about her at that moment?'  
  
'Why wouldn't I….oh!'  
  
'Bravo, Genius.'  
  
'I never thought of it that way, thanks buddy.'  
  
'Don't call me buddy, I'm you, you idiot.'  
  
'Sorry, wow, I'm really mean, do I call people idiot all the time?'  
  
'Of course not, but then again, I'm the honest you, most of the time, we are way too polite to insult people.'  
  
'Speak for yourself.'  
  
'I'm speaking for both of us! I thought we already discussed this.'  
  
"Van?"  
  
Van shook himself out of his thoughts and smiled at Hitomie, "Yes?"  
  
"Is, is that man, Orian, is he really your brother?"  
  
Van's face turned into a scowl, "I still can't believe it, I don't want to believe it, but he has the brand." He walked over and knelt at Hitomie's feet, "If he wasn't, he wouldn't have the brand, would he?"  
  
He looked so sad, sitting there at her feet, his hands on her knees. What could she say to him?  
  
'Tell him the truth of course!'  
  
'But it will hurt him so much!'  
  
'You don't want to lie to him, that would be horrible, lying to the one you love.'  
  
'Who asked your opinion anyway?'  
  
'It doesn't matter who asked, you've got it.'  
  
'I can't tell him the truth, but it's true, he has a brother.'  
  
'Yes, he does, and if you love him, you will tell him the truth, and then you will help him get through it.'  
  
'What if he doesn't want my help?'  
  
'Hitomie Kansaki! You listen to me; you and Van have been through too much for you to just give up now! You two are meant to be together, I thought you knew that?!'  
  
'He hasn't even kissed me yet.' Hitomie swallowed a gasp, where did that thought come from?  
  
'Well then, you kiss him!'  
  
'It's not proper in Gaea! He would think I was loose or something!'  
  
'Oh please, what guy doesn't love when he gets his mouth invaded? And if everything goes okay, you'll wind up in bed!'  
  
'You have a dirty mind!'  
  
'Actually, you have a dirty mind, you just don't express it enough.'  
  
'I don't know….'  
  
'Oh just do it!'  
  
Hitomie slid down onto the ground next to Van, she took his hands in hers.  
  
"It's going to be okay." She whispered, before softly pressing her lips to his. She felt his shock, but then he relaxed and took it deeper. Hitomie sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck and he slipped his hands around her waist.  
  
A thunderclap sounded and Hitomie and Van both heard the voices in their heads.  
  
'Yes! It is done! The fates are sealed!'  
  
Chris walked down the hall, thinking to himself.  
  
'Is there any point of me being here?'  
  
'You're in the prophecy aren't you?'  
  
'Yeah, but what if that isn't a prophecy, what if it's just Hitomie rambling?'  
  
'Does Hitomie ever ramble in rhyme?'  
  
'No, but still. It just seems like I shouldn't be here or something.'  
  
'How about if I told you that if it wasn't for you, Sharra and Orian wouldn't have met, which means Orian wouldn't have been captured, which means, Van wouldn't know that he had a brother.'  
  
'Oh, great, just something else he can hate me for.'  
  
'He doesn't hate you.'  
  
'Want to make a bet?'  
  
'Your betting with your inner voice, how pathetic is that?'  
  
'Thanks a lot.'  
  
'You're really down aren't you?'  
  
'I just want to go home!'  
  
'Well too bad! If you haven't noticed, you are kind of stuck here. So why don't you suck it up and stop sulking!'  
  
'I'm not sulking.'  
  
'Want to make a bet?'  
  
'Didn't you just say…'  
  
'What can I say? I'm you.'  
  
  
  
In another room, with plush furniture and a great view of the gardens, Orian was also sulking.  
  
'I got a great welcome didn't I? The whole kit and caboodle.'  
  
'Maybe if you weren't so hostile….'  
  
'&*#$ off.'  
  
'See what I mean? Hostile.'  
  
'Well I'm very sorry, this hasn't been the best day, I got beaten up by specs, Miss. Priss, Duchess of the World slapped me,'  
  
'She isn't really Duchess of the world…'  
  
'Didn't I tell you to &*#$ off?'  
  
'Sorry, continue.'  
  
'Thank you, as I was saying, Princess slapped me, I was held at sword point when I decided, against my better judgement I should say, to kiss the little bit. Me! A renowned thief! Caught snogging! It's humiliating it is! Then I had to meet my wonderful half brother and his ladylove. Although, she is a lovely piece she is.'  
  
'Maybe people would like you more if you referred to them by their first names, or at least referred to them by nice nicknames.'  
  
'Yeah well, we've all got our faults don't we?'  
  
'I can name yours very easily.'  
  
'Just try it.'  
  
'Never mind.'  
  
'Good thinking.'  
  
'Thank you, I get it from you.'  
  
'Why did I even kiss her in the first place?'  
  
'Oh, are we back on the subject of Sharra again?'  
  
'We never got off.'  
  
'I see….well, I think it's really obvious why you kissed her. She's cute, with all that fiery hair and spitting personality. She compliments you.'  
  
'Only one problem mate, if you haven't noticed, she's married. To a stuffy old duke no less. That puts her a bit above my standards.'  
  
'And if you haven't noticed, you're a prince now! Brother to the King! That has to count for something.'  
  
'Yeah, the Bastard brother to the King, which counts for nothing.'  
  
'Chin up.'  
  
'Bite me.'  
  
'Fine, I'll leave you alone.'  
  
'Thank you very much.'  
  
  
  
Little did any of these people know, while they were ranting, and kissing, and pondering, and kissing, Two wandering souls met on a balcony…..  
  
"My love?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We will have to tell them eventually."  
  
"Not yet, everyone has to get used to Hitomie being back, if we told them that we, that we were…"  
  
"Lovers?"  
  
"Yes, I don't know how they will take it."  
  
"So be it, but you do realise that any more of these and people are going to know."  
  
"No, they are to caught up in their own lives to realise it."  
  
"Hmmm…..well then, we better go."  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"I love you Celena."  
  
"I love you too, Gaddes."  
  
Author's note: YAY! I'm so happy! They are great! But will Celena be with Gaddes for long? Read and Review and tell me what you think and maybe I will write more……hee hee hee!!!! 


	11. Part Eleven: Last Words

1.1 Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, I have never owned Escaflowne, I will never own Escaflowne.  
  
Author's note: Thanks to the people (i.e. two) who reviewed me, that's great!  
  
1.2  
  
1.3  
  
1.4  
  
1.5 Part Eleven: Last words  
  
Sharra slowly walked up to the door of her husband's room, took a deep breath, and knocked. A wheezy voice answered.  
  
"Come in." She opened the door and walked in.  
  
"Hello, Roman  
  
"Hello, Sharra, how are you feeling? Any side affects from the kidnapping?"  
  
Sharra had to laugh, "Oh, Roman even sick as you are, you can't help being a doctor." She knelt by his bed, "I told you, I wasn't hurt."  
  
"They did capture the thieves didn't they?"  
  
"Yes, don't worry, I won't have any more contact with them." I hope, she thought to herself.  
  
"Thank the Gods." Roman's body was racked with coughing. Sharra became panicked.  
  
"Are you okay? Do you need anything, somebody should be here with you!"  
  
"It's okay, Sharra, I'm fine."  
  
"I don't know what to do."  
  
"I'm sick, Sharra, I wanted to talk to you because there is a good chance that I won't survive the night."  
  
Her eyes filled with tears, "I don't want you to leave me."  
  
Roman smiled sadly, "My dear Sharra, I know that this marriage has not made you happy, I know your father pushed you into a arranged marriage before you were ready. I'm sorry for that."  
  
"Roman, I love you."  
  
"As a father, I'm sure you do, but as a man…." His body was racked with coughing again.  
  
He looked down at her and took her hand, "You are a wonderful girl, do not grieve for me, find another, one who will love you with as much passion as you deserve." His head fell back and he closed his eyes.  
  
"Roman? Roman!" Sharra leapt and called out the door, "Millerna! I need you here now!"  
  
Millerna ran into the room, her blonde hair flying out behind her. "What is it?"  
  
"Roman!" Was all that Sharra could get out as she pointed to her still husband. Millerna felt for his pulse and sighed, "He's sleeping."  
  
Sharra breathed a sigh of relief. Then she turned and walked out.  
  
'He's right you know.'  
  
'Go away.'  
  
'You have to get on with your life.'  
  
'My husband is dying and all you can say is that?'  
  
'I know that you love him, but he's been sick since you married him, which wasn't that long ago, you haven't even had sex!'  
  
'That's because….'  
  
'Because you think of him as a father?'  
  
'No, it's just….yes, I think of him as a father. It's like my father is dying.' She stifled a sob and tried to dry her tears.  
  
'You better dry those quicker, look whose coming!'  
  
If things couldn't get any worse, there was Orian, looking as if he owned the place.  
  
"Well, 'ello there luv, what are you doin' lookin' so sad? Hubby say somethin' not nice?"  
  
That did it, Sharra snapped.  
  
"How dare you! Walking around like you have lived here all your life! Yesterday you were just a petty thief, now, just because the late King decided to knock up your whore of a mother, you think that you can order people around, and make assumptions about their lives!"  
  
Orian walked up to her and spoke very quietly. "You can say anything about me that you want Princess, you can call me any name you want. But if you ever insult my mother again, I will kill you, I don't care if you're a woman or not."  
  
Sharra stepped back, she had expected a comeback, maybe a little insulting of his own, but not the cold fury she saw in his eyes.  
  
"Well, well, then don't insult my husband." She stuttered, "You don't know anything about him."  
  
Orian relaxed and crossed his arms across his chest, "I think I've got him figured out Princess, probably some stuffy old duke who likes the idea of a pretty piece of flesh on his arm."  
  
Before she could control it, her hand reared back and slapped him across the face. He looked at her, surprised, then smirked.  
  
"That's twice now, you've hit me, don't do it again."  
  
"Don't you ever insult my husband again, you snivelling coward." Sharra said, in the cold voice he had used earlier. "He is twice the man that you will never be. You do not know anything about him, or me. He is lying on his deathbed right now. Show some respect."  
  
That stopped him, "He's dying?"  
  
"Yes." Sharra lost the coldness, and Orian thought he heard a tremble in her voice, "He probably won't make it through the night." Her voice broke and she tried to cover up a sob.  
  
"I'm sorry luv, I really am."  
  
She tried to see if he was just kidding around with her, but she could only see compassion and sincerity.  
  
"I don't know what to do." She sobbed, "He is everything to me."  
  
Orian felt a sharp pain in his heart, but quickly smothered it.  
  
"I know luv, it's hard." He opened his arms and she fell into them, crying.  
  
He brought her to a settee, and held her while she sobbed into his shoulder.  
  
'This feels kind of nice.' Said the little voice in his head.  
  
'Shut up! I'm supposed to be comforting her, not thinking that.'  
  
'Well, you have to admit it.'  
  
'No I don't, besides, her husbands dying, I can't be thinking those thoughts anyway, that's even worse than thinking them when I thought he was alive and kickin'!'  
  
'Fine, don't listen to me.'  
  
'When do I ever?'  
  
"You done luv?" Orian asked when Sharra lifted her head.  
  
"Yes, I think so, thank you Orian."  
  
"Call me 'Rion." He was amazed, why did he ask her to call him that?  
  
"Nickname?"  
  
"Yeah, sort of."  
  
Sharra sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, "This feels nice."  
  
Orian panicked, "Sharra, maybe, we should."  
  
"Don't ruin it, 'Rion, it feels nice to be held right now." She looked up at him, "Real nice."  
  
"Listen Sharra, you're real vulnerable right now, and I don't want to…" He was cut off when she pressed her lips to his.  
  
"Take advantage of me," She whispered against his mouth, "Please?"  
  
All rational thought was gone, and he simply pulled her closer.  
  
"Why you stupid, insufferable, idiotic, prick!"  
  
The pair broke apart and Orian looked up just in time to see a fist bash into his face. More specifically, Van's fist.  
  
Sharra shrieked and stood up, to have Hitomie come up from behind her and lay a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Aren't you going to stop them?" Sharra asked, panicked, when she saw Orian recover from the hit and ram into Van's stomach.  
  
"No, I think that this will be good for them, brother bonding."  
  
Sharra looked at her, "If you say so."  
  
Hitomie smiled, "I don't believe we've met, My name is…"  
  
"Lady Hitomie, I know who you are. Van's lost love."  
  
Hitomie blushed, "Not so lost, and not so regal, drop the Lady part please."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"And your name is?"  
  
"Sharra Quinlan."  
  
"And you were kissing Orian? Interesting."  
  
"It's a long story, even longer when you put in the fact that I'm married to Roman Quinlan."  
  
Hitomie's bright smile faded, "Oh I'm sorry dear."  
  
"What? What is it?" Sharra asked, confused.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear about your husband's death."  
  
Sharra gasped and stumbled back, "What, what do you mean?"  
  
Hitomie put a hand over her mouth, "You didn't know? Oh, no, I'm sorry, I thought you knew." She placed her hand on Sharra's arm. "Your husband died, Sharra, in his sleep, just a bit ago. I'm so sorry."  
  
Sharra missed that, she heard a roaring in her ears, her eyes filled with tears and she fell to the ground.  
  
"No, it's not true, no, please no!" She cried out.  
  
Van and Orian stopped fighting and saw her; Orian shoved his way past Van and knelt beside her.  
  
"What is it luv, what's wrong?"  
  
Sharra pushed him away, "Go away, just go away, leave me alone, I want to die!"  
  
Orian glared at Hitomie, "What did you do to her?"  
  
Van put his arm around Hitomie, "She didn't do anything, you're the one who kissed her when her husband's body isn't even cold!"  
  
Orian's eyes widened in shock; "He's dead?"  
  
Hitomie's voice was kinder, "Yes, he died not even an half a hour ago."  
  
"No," he whispered as he looked down at Sharra, "What is she going to do?"  
  
Author's note: That made me sad, but don't worry, everything will be happier. Next chapter is called, "The Ball." I had almost forgot about it, but don't worry, it will happen!!! It will contain: the arrival of Eries, an announcement of some kind, another kiss, make that a lot more kisses. And somebody catches two others doing something they shouldn't be doing. And get that out of your dirty minds! 


	12. Important! Please Read!

Hello all!  
  
I am sad to say that I have decided to stop uploading "How to let go" on fanfiction.net. I have many reasons for this, one of them being that I do not believe in censorship on a website that says it is about expression. Although I do not write NC-17 stories, I don't advocate censorship. I am trying to find another website to put this story on. If you would like me to continue the story, just email me, selena_miller85@hotmail.com and I will email you chapters. Thank you very much. -Selena 


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